can this be done? i think ive read it somewhere, but i wasnt 100% sure if i was reading it right. If it can be done, what needs to be done to accomplish this?

 

Snap On has a tool for this. Also, I've seen my brother use compressed air to do this also. There is an adapter for it.

 

I heard it was possible but you have to know what you're doing

 

can a leakdown tester be used to compress air into the cylinders? Can someone whos done this before show me exactly how to do this? I have cams/valvesprings on the way soon. Would this way be as safe as taking off the head, or would it be smarter to do the right way?

 

Compress the cylinder with air so that the valve doesn't drop(some people have filled the cylinder with rope), use the Snap-On tool to remove the keepers(careful to not drop them down the oil holes), pull retainer and springs, reinstall in the reverse order.

Austin

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Austin &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Compress the cylinder with air so that the valve doesn't drop(some people have filled the cylinder with rope), use the Snap-On tool to remove the keepers(careful to not drop them down the oil holes), pull retainer and springs, reinstall in the reverse order.

Austin</TD></TR></TABLE>

you mean put rope into the cylinder through the spark plug holes? and can you link me to the snap on tool that is needed? So you will need more than just a valve spring compressor?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDM_ITR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

you mean put rope into the cylinder through the spark plug holes? and can you link me to the snap on tool that is needed? So you will need more than just a valve spring compressor?</TD></TR></TABLE>

This is what we used when we installed my TODA cams and valve springs that I no longer own, we pulled the head when we reinstalled the stock parts so that I could install a thinner head gasket.

Here, see pic below

 

this is gonna be the first time using this method, so sorry if im asking so many questions.... Did you use a leakdown tester to compress air into the cylinders? How much air (100psi)? if you could give me exact/detailed steps on how to do this, that would be great...thanks austin.

 

You dont even need compressed air, only for very stiff springs...

Just make sure the Piston is perfectly @ TDC for the cylinder your working on.

Suprdave

 

I have done valvespring/retainer swaps many times using the tool in the picture above. It works great and can be very quick once you get the hang of it.

-kenji

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Austin &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

This is what we used when we installed my TODA cams and valve springs that I no longer own, we pulled the head when we reinstalled the stock parts so that I could install a thinner head gasket.

Here, see pic below

</TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Suprdave &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You dont even need compressed air, only for very stiff springs...

Just make sure the Piston is perfectly @ TDC for the cylinder your working on.

Suprdave</TD></TR></TABLE>

Depends upon how you do it. I just went though the process of putting new vavle springs in. the main thing that will detemine the difficulty of the install is the stiffnessof the springs.

on my portflow inner/itr outer setup. it wasnt all that hard with 2 people. if you use the red handled thing, u need someone to press down and another one to use some tweasers to put the keepers on.

there is another tool that is really cool. but i dont have any pics or the name of it. i can email it to you once i find out this weekend if u want.

it basically looks like a bigmetal cylinder thing, that has a spring loaded tip. u press the cylinder over the retainer when the keepers are already sitting in the retainer. this tool keeps the keepers around the valve stem when u press the spring down.

but u HAVE to have the adapater to put air into the cylinder hole. I would recomend putting having it for both jobs. u might be able to do it when using the red tool, but otherwise I would stil use the compressed air.

ef-1 springs were way to stiff to do either. i ended up having to take off the head like austin for other reasons. but i did insall 4 springs with the cylinder thing with the spring loaded center.

im sure someone knows what it is called. i borrowed it from my friend, i can send him an email right now and ask him what it is called.

 

I agree, doing EF-1 or really stiff springs, you need the air...but for itr outers\portflow inners and stuff like that...no air needed. I sit the keeping in the retainer with some grease then use my finger to hold them in.

 

my mechanic did my EF-1 springs with the head on the car, and he even put the retainers in himself while holding the spring down. it can be done but is far from easy. BTW these EF-1 springs rock! 10,000-12,000 rpm and no probs yet!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by johnzm &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">my mechanic did my EF-1 springs with the head on the car, and he even put the retainers in himself while holding the spring down. it can be done but is far from easy. BTW these EF-1 springs rock! 10,000-12,000 rpm and no probs yet!</TD></TR></TABLE>

holy cow. i am only 170ish lbs and am decently strong, but i see now way i could have done this by my self. u must have had a 250+lb mechanic names buba that was doing that

dave, how do you hold up the valve with your finger?

actually i never checked, but when the piston is at tdc, isnt there still some wiggle space between the piston and the valve?

i read a post in the archives about installing keepers, and alot of the guys recomended using a thick grease to keep the keepers on the valve stem. u just apply like a moly graph or pre-assembly lube to the valve stem